Presumably without considering the fact that the majority of N.C. State students live off campus, N.C. State made the controversial decision to open at 10 a.m. Thursday, ignoring authorities who urged drivers to stay put due to the icy conditions that resulted from Tuesday’s snowstorm. 

Despite the fact that 73 percent of N.C. State’s students live off-campus, according to a 2012 article in U.S. News & World Report, university officials decided to make students brave slick roads and nine-degree weather. This decision led to countless complaints from students on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. 

Numerous students said they either witnessed or were involved in accidents due to the dangerous driving conditions. The Raleigh-Wake County 911 Twitter account, @RW911, has reported more than 100 incidents involving vehicles since Wednesday night, many of which occured near campus. And although the Wolfline was scheduled to begin service at 9 a.m., several students reported route delays. The University cannot expect students to attend class if it cannot provide the bus service so many students rely on.

Not only were the freezing conditions dangerous for driving, but they were also dangerous for walking. Several students said they slipped on the bricks and sustained minor injuries.  

Though some students chose to skip class to avoid the dangerous conditions, others said they had to venture out ing the snow and ice to avoid missing exams. The University should not force students to choose between risking their safety and missing an exam. 

Student Body President Alex Parker contacted the N.C. State Department of Environmental Health and Safety regarding the decision. He posted its response on the Wolfpack Students Facebook page. The Department said it considered the accessibility of main roads and walkways and came to the conclusion that they were all accessible. It failed to consider that many students live off roads that had not been plowed. And the fact that many students reported slipping on campus suggests that walkways were not adequately cleared. 

Even before Thursday’s incident, N.C. State had been slow to communicate with students about delays and closings. The University waited until about 7 a.m. Wednesday to send a Wolf Alert announcing the class cancellation, despite the fact it had started snowing more than 12 hours before. Yet on Tuesday, the University cancelled all classes after 1 p.m. simply because snow was in the forecast.  

We expect our University not only to communicate more promptly, but also to be more considerate when making decisions that put students at risk. If N.C. State is going to tout the “think and do” slogan, it should think before doing.